“That one can convince one’s opponents with printed reasons, I have not believed since the year 1764. It is not for that purpose that I have taken up my pen, but rather merely to annoy them, and to give strength and courage to those on our side, and to make it known to the others that they have not convinced us.”
G.C. Lichtenberg (1742 – 1799), courtesy of 'Deogolwulf'

Sunday, 18 June 2017

The Sunday Rumble: 18.6.17

The Uncertainty Principle: There is no finer example of the uncertainty principal in action than English weather! For the last two days we have 'enjoyed' a heat wave and I do mean seriously hot, er, well, by English standards, that is. Today is likely to prove even hotter and that will lead to another example of the uncertainty principle, the number of 'Rumbles' which will appear here today. Either I will be forced to take refuge up here in my attic to escape the sun, in which case you will be inundated with 'Rumbles' which are likely to become even more incoherent as the temperature rises, or, there will be hardly any because I will have collapsed naked, sweating and exhausted upon my bed after I have instructed my 'punkah wallah' (aka: the 'Memsahib') to stand by to operate the fan. Bloody weather, it's supposed to be Summer in England and that should mean a very fine and steady drizzle of rain.

Catatonic or just gob-smacked? I still haven't fully recovered from that amazing election result. Even so, I expect you are all waiting eagerly for me to forecast events between now and Xmas. Unfortunately, the pair of ten-sided dice I normally use for my political guides to the future seem to have disappeared and thus, I haven't a clue! All I do know is that the Tory party, by hook or by crook, must hang on in there for the next five years to keep that gang of vicious Marxists at bay whilst at the same time ensure that we escape the clutches of 'Junck the Drunk' and his acolytes.

Poor old 'Winnie' had his finger nails pulled: A film has just been released starring Brian Cox as Winston Churchill. It purports to show Churchill suffering with his doubts over the forthcoming Normandy invasion. However, that was as nothing to his deep and abiding angst when FDR, in effect, coshed him over the future of India in 1942. Churchill was, in so many ways, totally unfitted to be a war leader and his deeply old-fashioned, Victorian background made it impossible for him to contemplate the end of Empire, especially 'the jewel in the crown' of India. A great man but with some even greater blind spots!

Delicious giggles from 'The Speccie': Each week they run a competition based on whatever is in the news. It is organised by a very witty lady, Ms. Lucy Vickery, who happens to be the sister of SoD's best friend - and yes, he really does have a best friend! Anyway, she asked for readers to provide lyrics for the EU anthem which, of course, is based on Ludwig's melody which ends the 9th symphony. Here is one of them but do pop over via the link and read some of the others which have obviously been composed by some very naughty boys!

W.J.Webster:

Fair Europa’s old, old story — Innocence seduced by bull: She was covered, not with glory, Maid unmade, a trusting gull. Out of such unnatural union Came a still-born Eurostate, Comity without communion, Rule by distant delegate. Symbol of this misconception, Mined from German mother lode, Sounds an anthem-like deception, Brussels’ grand symphonic ode. Joy is hymned as wealth increases Where good trade for some has flowed: Others, when the music ceases, Only know a vast debt owed.

While first tempted to point out that tempersture extremes like this are an expected consequence of global warming we cannot overlook alternative local explanations. Your fevered imagination that May and/or the Conservatives can hold on for that long may also be the source of this heat.

Peter, you really must try and get to grips with English irony. There are no "temperature extremes" here, it's just English weather, that is, it always rains when the sun should shining and then the sun pops out when you least expect it - like a weekend. It's what makes us Brits such bores on the subject of weather - but not half so boring as all you 'greenie-wallies'!

By the way, how're y'all doin' over there in Canada under your new Human Rights Bill C-16 which orders you as to which words may or may not be used? The words "he" or "she" are strictly 'verboten' and will result in a criminal record, I gather, let alone telling a 'trannie' he's a great big girlie! Freedom of speech is alive and well in Canada, is it?

It is always a cause for shame, is it not David, when a nation extends civil rights protections to any identifiable group subject to discrimination by pinheads. How will we ever live with ourselves? Alas you are wrong about the use of personal pronouns. You would if you lived here be perfectly able to both discriminate against any race or gender you like in the course of conducting business and declare your reasons for doing so. And the people you disparage would have a right to seek monetary compensation. But you could say whatever you like. The criminal complications would only arise if you advocated or committed violence against whatever group you find distasteful and made it clear that was your motivation. Even if no one joined you in your lynchings. How could life be worth living when a person is denied these simple pleasures?

My knowledge of British politics is largely informed by being a thirty year subscriber to The Economist and reading sources like Politico and others. Perhaps I am missing something. But didn't Northern Ireland vote to remain in the EU. And isn't their economic future absolutely tied to an open border policy with Ireland. Even down to such fundamental things like the supply of electricity and the EU funded project to head off immminent shortages? And isn't the May government's survival absolutely dependent on the support of DUP? So the half life of May's conservative government can probably be measured with a stopwatch once the Brexshit hits the fan. Right?

"That and considerable study explains why I have a very good understanding of economics."

Oooh, swipe me! Say-so-myself-tho-I-shouldn't!

Another student of economics who couldn't run a whelk stall and tries to tell us state planning outperforms the market in spite of all the theory and evidence to the contrary.

I hope neither I, nor any other D&N readers, paid in part or total for your economics study? If we did, then it's another example of a state fail.

And if we didn't, and you shelled out for it yourself, then you were ripped off. Market failure? Well, the market isn't perfect, but it is perfecting. As BigHen points out, it's Darwinian, self-correcting, a neural network heading towards perfection but never getting there, which, in this world, is the best you can do.

Bet they didn't teach you that on your economics-for-muppets course, did they? The D&N invoice will be arriving shortly, the price thereon will be "reassuring".

There's no reason why you would ever have journeyed on British Rail, the nationalized rail industry of the 70's. But I doubt I need to elaborate.

Today the London underground and rail industries are the most unionized and monopoly / cartel run industries in Blighty, all players therein are patrons of political parties. They are quasi-public sector today, hardly market driven at all. But even the wafer thin gap between them and British Rail of the 70's is discernable.

"You would if you lived here be perfectly able to both discriminate against any race or gender you like in the course of conducting business and declare your reasons for doing so. And the people you disparage would have a right to seek monetary compensation."

It is not about discriminating against the race or gender. It is about being compelled to use made up words. Please get this straight. Never, ever accuse people who oppose Bill C16 of being discriminatory unless you know for certain that they are.

There is no such thing as non-binary. To start undermining the years of scientific research by the use of people's feelings is so astronomically wrong, it hurts.

If, for one second, you could appreciate that for someone to assume the sexual orientation of an attack helicopter might be a psychological issue, instead of something we should nod and agree with, then you might understand what the real problem is.

Right, enough. I am too hot and tired to discuss this with any meaning but I really thought people here had grasp of the actual problem, not made up issues. Need to clean my room, then I'll feel better.